The fast-growing jobs that tell us about the future of work

By Pieter Cranenbroek , Senior News Editor, LinkedIn News

If you had told people five years ago at a dinner party that you had just taken a job as a sustainability manager, data steward or influencer marketing manager, that announcement might have been met by some blank stares.

If you told them this year, you probably still had to explain these roles to your family and friends, but they have in all likelihood become more familiar with terms sustainability and influencer in recent years.

The job titles mentioned above have not been plucked out of the air. They feature on the Jobs on the Rise lists which LinkedIn News has compiled for selected European countries and cities . Check them out if you haven't yet.

Since these labour market trends tie in very well with the newsletter, we're bringing you this special issue of Shifting Perspectives with Kory Kantenga, Ph.D. , senior economist at LinkedIn's Economic Graph Research and Insights team. We dive a bit deeper into the specific findings of the Jobs on the Rise data and the implications for the European economy.

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In a previous issue of Shifting Perspectives we looked at the potential impact of AI on jobs. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the enormous flight that generative AI tools have taken in the past year, jobs in this field feature among the fastest-growing job titles in Europe.?

Hi Kory, what does the data published in this list say about the labour market trends fuelled by AI?

The excitement around AI in 2023 continues into 2024. As a result, we see Artificial Intelligence Engineers reaching the top echelons of our Italian and Swiss Jobs on the Rise lists for the first time.?

While it's too early to say if and how AI will reshape the broader labour market, it is clear that employers want to capitalise on this momentum, hence the rise of the AI Engineer.

While excitement remains high around new AI technologies, there are few signs that they will replace workers en masse in the near term.

Does it give us an indication which jobs are going to be 'AI-proof' and which ones are going to disappear?

This year’s Job on the Rise lists in Europe feature many roles related to growth and digital transformation.?

From Chief Revenue Officer and Growth Specialist to Cloud Engineers and Cyber Security, employers are looking for growth in a more challenging economic and geopolitical climate, and they are betting on digital transformation to be a key to unlocking these growth opportunities.?

AI is only one piece of broader digitisation efforts that include engineers and IT roles on the rise across much of Europe.

If you are worried about new AI technologies making jobs disappear, then you can take encouragement that content creators and content managers made our German and Swiss Job on the Rise lists despite being more exposed to new automation from generative AI than many jobs.?

While excitement remains high around new AI technologies, there are few signs that they will replace workers en masse in the near term.

Professionals with advanced degrees, Gen Z and women stand to see their jobs change faster than other professionals, according to a recently published LinkedIn Future of Work report . Why are these groups of professionals more vulnerable to AI disruption??

Younger professionals and women tend to work disproportionately in occupations where their tasks can be replicated by generative artificial intelligence (GAI).?

For example, women tend to be overrepresented in roles like Medical Assistant, Office Manager, and Legal Assistant – all of which include a majority of tasks that GAI can do.?

Exposure to disruption from AI does not necessarily mean a job will disappear, but representation disparities across occupations does mean some demographic groups may see more impact from AI adoption.

A lot of jobs on the list require people with advanced degrees. But it's not just the highest-paid professionals that Europe lacks. Does the data say something about traditional trades or crafts that are particularly in demand?

While this year’s lists are dominated by growth and digital transformation roles, we continue to see strong demand for roles with ongoing labour shortages.?

For example, Home Health Aide sits just outside the top 5 on the UK’s Jobs on the Rise list. It is no surprise to see Home Health Aide make the list given elevated vacancies and rising need for elder care in the UK.

Another job on the rise is sustainability manager. In a previous issue of Shifting Perspectives, we have zoomed in on the green transition. What does the data say about the shift towards a 'green economy'?

Sustainability Manager tops our Jobs on the Rise lists in Germany and the UK with sustainability roles making nearly every list in Europe.?

With Gen Z and Millennials keen to know companies’ environmental impact and policies before accepting an offer , we see companies increasingly adding Sustainability Managers to their ranks.

Employers offering remote work can expect to see a larger talent pool, while workers can expect to face more competition for remote roles.

Europe is facing a 'labour squeeze' now that the population is ageing. Which problems will arise for the European economy if industries are no longer able to staff their businesses?

The implications of lack of staff on businesses are wide ranging and potentially long lasting.?

For example, failure to deliver products or services due to staff shortages can result in loss of current and future customers, loss of contracts, and even breach of contract litigation for failure to deliver on time.

Staffing shortages also place additional pressure on current staff and may increase turnover, worsening staffing challenges. Businesses may be forced to scale back and even shut down when they lack adequate staff, dampening economic growth.

Are remote jobs still widely available or are they on the decline? What does the stagnation of remote working mean for workers, employers and the economy??

The availability of remote has waned since peaking in 2022 , however it remains a staple in countries like the UK and Ireland.?

With the tapering off of remote work, hybrid work has gained traction and emerged as the standard for flexible work in Europe. Employers offering remote work can expect to see a larger talent pool, while workers can expect to face more competition for remote roles.

According to LinkedIn data, skill sets for jobs have changed by 25% since 2015 and are projected to shift by 65% by 2030 globally. In such an environment, it may feel like you are constantly playing catch-up.

What would you advise teenagers who are pondering which study direction to pursue or professionals considering a career pivot at the moment?

A lot of what we need to know about how to do a job, we learn on the job itself.?

The challenge when starting out your career or making a pivot remains how to receive an offer for a job you want. Doing that requires you to know the skills to do the job and demonstrate that you have them.?

Study the job descriptions for your ideal role and build experiences and skills that match it. Keep up with industry trends so you can anticipate the next big thing and be ready for it.

Join the conversation using #ShiftingPerspectives in the comments

Professionals across Europe have been weighing in with the predictions for the future labour market and discuss whether the Jobs on the Rise data for their country or city resonates with their own experience.

"Across Europe, we'll definitely see a lot of "Privacy Counsel", "AI Officer" an "Security Officer" roles opening up. With the EU AI Act, GDPR, DORA, NIS2, etc., and the increase in privacy laws across the world, more and more companies will be looking for people to help them comply and protect and support the business." - Stine Mangor Tornmark , CEO & Co-Founder

"Interesting but not surprising to see how Engineering is the most in demand in Stockholm. I read last year that there is a considerable skill shortage in civil engineering but also in system and software developers, IT architects and system analysts as well as in the medicinal and teaching professions." - Treasa Dovander , Head of Internal Communications

"Through my involvement in business activities in France, I noticed that top-line expansion = market awareness = business development activities are paramount. In this context, including these two top-line related jobs (business development representatives, chief revenue officer) in the top five is deeply understandable." - Hisaki Umeda , Sales Director

"When you look at hot trends for 2024 around sustainability, digital led solutions for digitally enabled societies, wellness pragmatism and the issues around security, tech enablement, etc., that these trends bring, it's good to see that the key roles being called out reflect what is required within businesses to support the solutions around these trends." - Sharon Yourell Lawlor , Business Strategist

Don't forget to read the full reports on the hottest new job titles in Europe in full, brought to you by LinkedIn News Europe's career editor, Jennifer Ryan :

LinkedIn Jobs on the Rise 2024: The roles that are growing in demand across Europe

The top five fastest-growing job titles in Europe's capital cities

See you next month!

Pieter Cranenbroek , Senior News Editor, LinkedIn News Europe